Arsenal have been allowing goals at a startling pace during their pre‑season fixtures, conceding seven times across three matches. Could the defensive solidity that underpinned their Premier League triumph last season be turning into an unforeseen weakness just as the new campaign looms? The Gunners are set to meet Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday, yet they appear thin at the back. Central defender William Saliba is out with a serious back problem that is likely to keep him sidelined for an extended period, and Jurrien Timber remains several weeks away from full fitness.
Their absence leaves a noticeable gap in a back line that has traditionally been one of Arsenal's strongest assets. Adding to the concern, Mikel Arteta's pre‑season preparations have hit a rough patch. In the three friendlies played since the start of August, Arsenal have been scoring an average of 2.3 goals per game, but they have also been conceding an average of 2.3 goals – six goals in the last two matches alone.
This defensive leakage is starkly higher than the 1.4 goals per game they allowed in the Premier League last season. In fact, it has been more than three years since Arsenal have given up three or more goals in back‑to‑back fixtures of any kind. The recent results illustrate the problem: - 1 August: Girona 1–4 Arsenal - 5 August: Arsenal 1–3 Real Betis - 9 August: Arsenal 2–3 Borussia Dortmund Arteta will inevitably point to the usual pre‑season caveats. These games are designed for experimentation, for players to shake off the rust of the off‑season and gradually find rhythm as the competitive season approaches.
Sharpness and cohesion usually improve as the fixtures pile up. Nevertheless, the defensive frailties cannot be ignored.
The manager does have a number of first‑team regulars returning to training, as well as new signing Bruno Guimarães, who will need to be integrated quickly. Guimarães, alongside Declan Rice, is expected to provide an extra layer of protection in midfield, helping to shield the back four.
The defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday was particularly telling. Arsenal deployed a first‑choice back four – the best options currently available – yet the defensive performance deteriorated rather than improved.
Gabriel returned for the first time, replacing Piero Hincapié in central defence, but both Gabriel and Cristhian Mosquera were caught out of position, leaving gaps that Dortmund exploited. Saliba’s absence was felt keenly, and it is likely that the same quartet will be selected for the showdown with Manchester City after a final friendly against Como on Wednesday. That match should give Arteta a clearer picture of where the team needs to focus its training before the season‑opening fixture at Wembley. Any encounter, whether the Community Shield or a regular Premier League game, carries weight.
It offers Arsenal a chance to assert themselves against a direct rival. Arteta, who is now the longest‑serving Premier League manager, will not be granted the same latitude that a newcomer such as Enzo Maresca might enjoy in his first official match.
This is Arteta’s 353rd competitive game in charge, and a loss still stings, even after six years at the helm. After the Dortmund loss, Arteta admitted that it "hurt" and highlighted the "poor goals" the team had allowed. He acknowledged that Arsenal were not competing at the intensity he expects, a sentiment that underscores the urgency of tightening the defensive unit.
A closer look at the six goals conceded to Real Betis and Dortmund reveals a pattern: three came from long‑range efforts, and two resulted from set‑piece situations, particularly corners. This suggests that Arsenal’s shape when out of possession is disjointed and vulnerable to both open‑play and dead‑ball threats. In midfield, the problem is equally evident. The roles and responsibilities of the midfielders should stabilise once Rice returns, bolstered by Guimarães’s assertiveness and the leadership of Martin Ødegaard.
Their presence can help the team retain a more compact shape, reducing the space opponents have to exploit. Arteta has also been working to unleash more creativity from his playmakers, a shift that may have initially compromised the team’s defensive rigidity.
Last season, Arsenal were often criticised for relying heavily on set‑piece efficiency to win tight games, while their open‑play productivity lagged behind. Balancing creative freedom with defensive discipline will be a key task for Arteta as he prepares his side for a season where they start as defending champions.
The manager now has greater flexibility to rotate his squad without sacrificing quality, thanks to the depth added by recent signings and the return of several World Cup‑winning England internationals. This depth should allow him to experiment with different defensive configurations while still maintaining a high standard of play.
Looking ahead, the first week of the season will see Arteta working with a full complement of players as the squad reconvenes after the international break. His primary objective will be to plug the newly exposed hole in Arsenal’s defensive armour, a task made more challenging without the insurance of Saliba’s presence.
If the team can improve its organisational shape, tighten up on set‑pieces, and maintain the attacking flair that has become a hallmark of Arteta’s side, the early defensive concerns could be resolved before the Premier League campaign truly gets underway. The upcoming fixtures, especially the high‑profile clash with Manchester City, will serve as a litmus test for how quickly Arsenal can restore the balance between offensive ambition and defensive solidity.